This invention relates generally to a seat for use on a boat and, more particularly, to an apparatus for positioning the seat back in one of a plurality of selectable positions.
Adjustable-backed, bench-type seats are frequently used on boats at a number of locations, but particularly at the boat helm, the operator""s control station. An adjustable back is one in which the generally vertical seat back is movable from a first position in which the seat back is inclined slightly to vertical and located at one side of the bench seat to a second position which is essentially a mirror image of the first position, which would enable the seat to be utilized in substantially the opposite orientation. Other adjustable seat backs can be positioned in a mid-range, generally vertical orientation to provide a back rest, a seat leaning post, for the boat operator to operate the boat controls from a standing position, leaning back against the generally vertical seat back.
Known prior art adjustable seat backs for boat seats include a locking device in which the seat back frame is provided with an enlarged portion that can be lifted vertically and relocated into another horizontally disposed socket within a generally horizontally disposed bracket to restrain the pivotal movement of the seat back frame. In this known prior art configuration, the seat back frame is mounted to a pivot device fixed to the seat frame at a central location and the seat frame is vertically movable relative to the pivot device to effect a disengagement of the enlarged portion of the seat back frame from the corresponding socket in which it has been secured. A re-positioning of the seat back to the desired configuration and a subsequent lowering of the seat back frame on the pivot device locks the seat back into the selected position.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide an apparatus to improve the operation of an adjustable backed boat seat to permit a re-positioning of the seat back into one of a plurality of selected positions with a minimum of effort.
It is an object of this invention to provide a boat helm steering seat with a multi-angle positionable seat back which can be quickly and easily moved from one desired position to another.
It is another object of this invention to provide a pivotal seat back for a boat helm steering seat that can be easily moved from one pivoted position to another.
It is a feature of this invention that the seat back is formed with generally vertically extending legs that are slidably supported on a pivot mechanism interconnecting the seat frame and the seat back frame.
It is another feature of this invention that the pivotal movement of the seat back is restricted by a pivot control mechanism that positions the seat back in one of several pre-selected seat back angles.
It is an advantage of this invention that the seat back can be re-oriented into a desired position by vertically moving the seat back on the pivot mechanism and repositioning the seat back about its pivot on the seat frame.
It is still another feature of this invention that the pivot control mechanism includes a pair of laterally opposed sector plates having an arcuate slot centered on the pivot between the seat frame and the seat back frame and a plurality of downwardly extending notches engageable with a pin projecting outwardly from the seat back legs.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a boat helm steering seat with a pivoted multi-angle positionable seat back that is durable in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, carefree of maintenance, facile in assemblage, and simple and effective in use.
These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplished according to the instant invention by providing a boat helm steering seat having a multi-angle positionable seat back in which the seat back frame is pivotally connected to the frame of the seat by a pivotal connection that includes a clevis having a stem that slidably supports the vertically oriented legs of the seat back frame. A pivot control mechanism formed as laterally opposed sector plates having an arcuate slot with a center of curvature at the pivotal connection between the seat and set back frames. Pins projecting outwardly from the seat back legs are engageable with notches formed in the sector plates extending downwardly from said arcuate slot to correspond to pre-selected pivoted positions of the seat back. Pivotal movement of the seat back is accomplished by vertically lifting the seat back to effect a sliding movement over the stems of the devises and re-positioning the pins on the seat back legs into the notch corresponding to the position desired for the seat back. The sector plate preferably has three or five notches, including a center notch corresponding to an upright position of the seat back.